Improvement in vehicle fifth-wheels



ZSheets-Sheet 1. y

C. GORMANN.

VEHICLE FIFTH WHEEL.

Patented March14,1876.

Mlzesses. v

@M2M gunna/)wv 2, @KMA Md@ M ILPETERS, PHOO-LITHQGRAPMER, WASNINGYON, D. c.

Z Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. GGRMANN.

VEHICLE FIFTH WHEEL. Y

'Patented March 14, 1876.

Magg/5%?? UNITED CHRISTIAN Goa-MANN, on UNION HILL, NEW .Inns-EY. Y

y IMPROVEMENT INf VrEHllCLE- FIFTH-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 174,804, dated March 14, 1876; application tiled September 9, 1875.

To all lwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN GORMANN, ot' Union Hill, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and `useful Improvement in Fifth-Wheels for Vehicles, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l represents a cross-section of my improvement, showing the manner of applying it to the bed and foreaxle of a vehicle. Fig. 2 gis a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is aplan view. Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view on a reduced scale. Fig. 5 shows a modification.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

My invention relates to certain improvements in iil'th-wheels for vehicles, and is made with a view, mainly, to dispense with a king-bolt, whereby I obviate, among other things, the making ot' a hole through the fore axle to accommodate such bolt, and thus preserve the inherent strength of the axle.

My improvement consists in constructing fifth-wheels of an upper and lower section," the bearing-surfaces of which are provided, respectively, with concentric grooves and corresponding tlanges, which are fitted together in such a manner that the sections are guided when rotated on each other, and a center or king bolt may be dispensed with. The sections have lugs formed on their outerl surfaces in pairsand opposite each other, for receiving between them the bed or bolster and the fore axle of a vehicle; and thus the relative positions of 'such parts may be readily determined. The lower section, moreover,l which is fastened to the axle, is provided with perforated ears, whereby the said section is adapted tov be fastened by means of bolts passing alongside the axle, and by this arrangement the axle remains solid.

In the drawing, the letter A designates the upper, and B the lower, section of fifthwheel, each of which is a counterpart of the other, having the form of double rings, and ot a cross-piece, (l, as shown. in order to increase their eli'ectiv area. The upper section A has flanges a., while the lower section B has grooves b, which flanges and grooves are made on theV inner or bearing surfaces of the sections and at the point of the double rings, in case such rings form a part of the sections. concentric with each other and with thc sections A B, and are litted together, so that when the sections are placed on each other the flanges enter the grooves, and by vthis means the sections are guided when rotated on each other in steering by the axle D of a vehicle, to which the whole may be applied; but it is obvious that While the tlanges and grooves permit of the rotation of the sections they prevent endwise motion thereof or motion in the line' of draft of the vehicle. 4The sections A B, when put together and applied to a vehicle, are connected to the perch E'by means of straps F, which are iitted round and across the outer ring of the sections, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and these straps F, moreover, serve to hold/the sections A B against being lifted olf from each other. At

or near the edge ot' the sections A B, and on the outer surfaces thereof, are cast or otherwise formed lugs c c d d, which are arranged in pairs and are situated diametrically opposite each other in the plane of the cross-piece U. lThe lugs e c ot' the upper section receive between them the bed or bolster Gr ot' a vehicle while the lugs d d receive between them the fore axle D, and by this arrangement the bolster and the. axle are readily got in a straight line parallelwith each other, and across the axis ofthe wheel. At the point ot' the crosspiece of the lower section B are formed projecting ears e c (best seen in Fig. 4) which are pierced', as shown, and are situated opposite to each other. The lower section B forms the part which is fastened to the axle D, and through the medium of the pierced projections c c bolts f f may be passed along the sides of the axle instead of through the same for the purpose of fastening the section, as indicated in dotted outlines in Fig. 1, and by this means the solidity of the axle is preserved. The upper section A is fastened to the bolster G by means of bolts passing through the latter, the cross-piece G of the upper section having holes g formed in it for the passage of the bolts. -1n order to permit ot' passing a lubricant toI the grooves b oilholes h are `formed in the upper section A at The flanges a and grooves b are suitable points, as shown in Fig. S-tbat is to the sections A B, which have, respectively, say, at the points of and through the anges a..A concentric tiangesa and corresponding grooves Itis obvious that my invent-ion is applica and lugs c c and d d formed in pairs and opble to fifth-wheels in nn entire or a segmental posite each other, substantially as described.

- or1n,-nnd'in Fig; 5 I have indicated a method `In testimony that I claim the foregoing I ot constructing a segment, part of the outer have hereunto set my hand and seal this 27th ring of the sections A B being. cut away. IrIayVOfAugust, 1875.`

` l `his form of wheel is intended for light car- CHRISTIAN GORMANN [L s] nages. f

What I claim as new, and desire to secure Witnesses: v by Letters Patent, sl UHAS. WAHLERS,

The fth-wheel for a wagon constructed of RoB'L. E. MILLAR. 

